Operating and control mechanism for washing machine wringers



D. M. WENGER Sept. 3, 1935.

OPERATING AND CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINE WRINGERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1954 D. M. WENGER Sept; 3, 1935.

OPERATING AND CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINE WRINGERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7, 1934 Sept. 3, 1935.

D. M. WENGER OPERATING AND CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINE WRINGERS Filed March 7, 1934 5 SheetS Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 3, 1935 rarest OFFICE OPERATING AND CONTROL MECHANISM- FOR WASHING MACEHNE WRINGERS David M. Wenger, Leola, Pa.

Application March 7, 1934, Serial No. 714,518

15 Claims.

This invention relates to control means for the swinging arms and their accompanying gear mechanisms for wringers of washing machines, and other similar devices.

The general object of the invention is to provide for controlling the driving of the wringer both forward, reverse and neutral, as well as the locking of the wringer arm in its several angular positions of swing, as well as controlling its release, by a simple means actuated for the performance of every function by pressure imparted to it in the same direction, that is, in a downward direction in the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described.

Another object of the invention is the provision of control means of the type indicated in which an emergency stop leaving the wringer operating mechanism in neutral and the wringer arm in locked angular position is obtained by downward pressure on said means, regardless of the position of said means or the function being performed by the wringer mechanism at the moment the emergency pressure is applied.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a control means constituted as a multiple button or equivalent structure, the parts of which are so co-ordinated that downward movement of one causes complementary upward movement of the other, the two parts being selectively pressible downwardly for the performance of the several functions of the wringer operating and locking mechanism, and the emergency stop'being accomplished by pressing downwardly indiscriminately upon whichever part of the multiple button is the more elevated, continuing the pressure unt the complementary part has risen to contact the hand in the plane of the part first pressed, the hand acting automatically as a stop to determine without any thought on the part of the operator the position at which the control means shall come to rest, this being the neutral locked position of the wringer.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to denote identical parts:

Figure l is a longitudinal elevation, part in section showing wringer mechanism embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to the View shown in Figure 1, both of these views showing the wringer operating mechanism in its reverse driving position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1, the wringer operating mechanism being shown in one of its neutral positions with the swinging arm unlocked;

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the position of the key and detent when the clutch is in the neutral position shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the clutch in second neutral position;

Figure 6 is a detail view related to Figure 5 showing the position of the key;

Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 5, but showing the clutch in the position of forward 5 drive;

Figure 8 is a view in detail related to- Figure '7 showing the position of the key;

Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of the fixed plate and the outer member of the multiple button;

Figure 11 is a plan view, partly in section showing the locking disk for the swinging arm;

Figure 12 is a sectional view showing the upper portion of a modified form of wringer mechanism embodying my invention;

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view showing the several angular locked positions of the wringer; and

Figure 14 is a modified form of multiple button, shown in section.

Before adverting to a description in detail of the several figures, it may be stated that the-- wringer mechanisms, of washing machines are of two general types, one in which the lateral arm 35 that carries the wringer is unitary with the vertical standard which houses the power shaft that operates the rolls of the wringer. In this type the gear set which includes the clutch that changes the direction of rotation of the rolls from forward to reverse and places them in neutral is generally carried at the base and outside of the vertical standard. In the second type of wringer operating mechanism there is an articulation between the laterally swinging arm and the vertical standard, the latter being stationary and the forward and reverse gears and clutch being carried at and within the head of the vertical power shaft.

The control means of the present invention is adaptable to both types of wringer mechanism; to the former type, in a stationary position, and the second, to a laterally swinging arm.

The controls which have heretofore been employed for the wringing mechanism of washing annular position to the'other. stop in ordinary washing machines is nothing machines involve the use of levers or other types of oscillatable handles having positions corresponding respectively to the forward drive, the reverse drive, and neutral. These require some thought and care in their operation for the operator must learn a right and left or a forward and backward position and when the operator changes her place with respect to the machine according to the position of. the tub into which she is wringing, right becomes left and forward becomes backward as referred to the control lever so that in case of an emergency, there being no time for thought, confusion is apt to result as to in which direction the lever should be operated with the possible consequence that the wrong move is made and disaster results. By the present invention, such confusion cannot arise for in case of an emergency there is but one thing to do, slap down on the multi-button in the same direction in which all other control movements aremade and the emergency stop is accomplished.

In the operation "of wringer mechanism, as at present known, the swinging arm of the wringer is automatically locked by spring pressure in both forward and reverse driving positions, but in neutral position it is unlocked so that the wringer can be freely swung by hand from one The emergency more than the putting of the wringer operating mechanism into neutral leaving the wringer unlocked so that it is free to swing. This is a highly undesirable situation, for the emergency most often encountered is the winding of the clothes in a thick mass on one of the rollers of the wringer so that when the wringer mechanism is put into neutral with the wringer arm swinging free the operator is not aided since she cannot unwind the clothes by hand from the wringer in the logical Way by pulling them, for the wringer will swing in the direction of pull.

By the'present invention the emergency stop not only brings the wringer mechanism to neutral, but keeps it locked so that the entangled clothes may be unwound therefrom while the wringer remains fixed. The control of the present invention operates by having in addition to the usual forward and reverse driving positions in both of which the swinging arm of the wringer is locked, two neutral positions in one of which the wringer arm is unlocked so that the operator can select the angle in which she Wishes to lock it by swinging it freely until the desired position is obtained. The other is the so-called emergency position in which the wringer arm is locked.

With this preferatory explanation of the general purpose of the invention, reference will now be had to the several figures in'which, in that form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 11, inclusive, the numeral I represents in general a washing machine and wringer mechanism 2 associated therewith, comprising a power shaft 3 suitably driven from a motor, not shown, and driving'through a gear set including the gears 4, 5 and 6, a vertical shaft 1 operatively connected by bevel gears B and 9 with a lateral shaft l0 through which the driven roller l l of the wringer is operated. The shafts and operative connections are suitably encased, the easing l2 which surrounds the vertical shaft l constituting a rotatable standard unitarily connected to the laterally swinging arm I3 which supports the wringer. The vertical standard l2 may have any suitable end thrust bearing at its end, but is here shown as rotatively resting upon a plate l4. When the key H has beenfurther depressed Since the vertical standard and lateral arm rotate together, no joint is required at the upper end of the standard 62 and consequently, a grease-tight housing is provided for the bevel gears 8 ands. The standard l2 has affixed thereto adjacent its lower end a disk l5 which is shown in detail in Figure 11 and is provided with a plurality of recesses 15 in its periphery adapted to be engaged by a key Il said recesses determining the several angular positions of the wringer arm in which the wringer may be locked. Thedisk i5 is enclosed -in a suitable grease-retaining box it of which the plate l4 forms the lower part. The wringer mechanism may be supported in any suitable manner relative to the washing machine, and suitably encased, the drawing suggesting the empl'o'yment'for this purpose of upper and lower brackets l9 and 23.

The gears l and 6 normally freely rotate upon the vertical shaft 7, or its extended portion in opposite directions of course, since they, meshjat diametrically opposite points with the gear 5." A clutch element M is splinably mounted onthe vertical shaft having teeth 22 and 23 which may be brought selectively into engagement with complementary teeth on the gears 4 and 6, for

impartingthe driving torque of said gears to theshaft l in a conventional and well known manner.

The control mechanism comprises essentially a reciprocable member 2a of which the key l1 forms the lower'part. Said key has a clutch yoke 25 adapted as the key is shifted to place the shaft l in forward or reverse driving connection or in neutral position. The key moreover, in its reciprocatory movements must interpose itself in one of the recesses lfias indicated at the lower part of Figure 11 so as to assure that the wringer arm 53 shall be locked whenever the wringer operating mechanismis in gear. There is aslot 2t inthe key ll adapted to come into the plane of the disk 15 in one neutral position of the clutch, in which position the recesses E6 of the disk are free-and the standard E2 together with the lateral arm E3 of the wringer are free to be swung to give desired angular position.

The longitudinal dimension of the slot 26 is such that in the second neutral position, Figure 5, of the clutch, a solid portion of the key comes in registry with a slot in the disk l5, holding the wringer arm looked even though the wringer operating mechanism is out of gear. This is the relation assumed bythe several parts when the control means is pressed to the emergency stop position. 1 l

-The several positions of the clutch are detervmined by a series of notches 2?, 28, 29 and 38,

formed on the reciprocating member 24 and preferably on the key portion 1 7. These notches are selectively engaged by a spring pressed detent 3i When the detent is in the notch 2'5, the clutch is V in mesh with the gear 8 which represents the reverse driving position, and the disk 55 is looked as shown in Figure 2 by the solid portion of the key being interposed in one of the recesses I 6. When the key is depressed until the detent 35 has snapped into the notch 28 as shown in Figure 4,.

angularity determined by the until the detent rests in the notch 29, see Figure 6, the clutch is in the second neutral position as indicated in Figure 5, and the solid part of the key ll just above the slot 25 has entered a notch in the disk l5, locking the wringer. When the detent Sl rests in the final notch 30, the clutch is in driving connection with the forward gear a as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and the disk [5 is locked by the further interposition of the key I? into a recess it.

It will be noticed that a space designated by the reference character 32, equal to the Width of a notch is left between the notches 2'! and 28. A notch if present at this point, would correspond to a third neutral position symmetrical to the position determined by the notch 29, but since such neutral position is not needed, the notch has been blanked.

The control means will now be described. It comprises a fixed plate 33 which is an extension of. bracket l9 having downwardly extending lugs 34 and 35 symmetrically disposed with respect to the axis of the reciprocatory member 24 which member passes through an aperture formed in said plate. The plate is formed wth a pair of guideways 36 and 37, also preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the reciprocatory member 24 and placed in a diametrical line with respect to the lugs 34 and 35. The manually contacted control means comprises a multiple button 38 including an outer annular member 39 and an inner cylindrical member 40, the latter slidably fitting within the annular member 39. The inner member 45 is secured to an end of th reciprocatory member 24 which projects above the plate 33. The member 40 by itself might constitute a knob through the inter mediary of which all of the necessary movements might be imparted to the key ll to exercise the various controls of the wringing mechanism, but it is obvious that such knob would have a downward movement, an upward movement, and an emergency movement which would have to be nicely determined and which might readily be under or over shot in the excitement of the emergency calling for its operation. The single knob would therefore not be greatly in advance of control means at present in use. To inconvenience the use of the annual member 39 for this purpose, Figure 14 shows a modified form permitting a downward pressure by the fingers, but no upward pull as it is flared inwardly at the top and without a flange.

7 The crux of the invention therefore resides in the correlation of the outer annular member 39 with the inner member 43 in such a way that the two members may be regarded as a single control element, by which all the motions of control are in the same direction and by which an emergency control is provided, the stopping point of which is automatically determined by the upper faces of the two members coming into a single plane and that plane determined by the common contact of the open hand with both of said members.

A pair of levers ll and 42 are fulcrumed at intermediate points 33 and 44 to the lugs 34 and 35. At their inner ends, the levers are connected to the reciprocatory member 24 by pin and slot connections 45. At their outer ends they are similarly connected to slide rods 46 and 41 rigid with respect to a plate 48 constituting the lower part of the annular member 39 and extending through the guideways 36 and 31.

In view of the intermediate fulcruming of the levers 4| and 42, when their inner ends are depressed their outer ends are elevated. Consequently, when the inner member 48 is depressed the outer annular member 39 rises. In controlling the wringer mechanism, after the outer member 35 has been depressed to its limit, it is therefore not necessary to pull it up, but merely to shift the pressure to the inner member 3!) and depress it, whereupon the outer member rises and vice versa, therefore, all controls are performed by a depressing movement and it is not necessary ever to exercise a lifting movement.

Since the inner member of the multhbutton goes down while the outer member automatically and simultaneously comes up, a point will be reached when the upper faces of these members arrive at the same plane, travelling in opposite directions. If at that time the open hand rests upon both of these members, it is obvious that no matter how much eifort may be expended in trying further to depress them, they remain immovable. This position of the members of the multi-button has in consequence been selected as effecting the second neutral position of the clutch 2i and a simultaneously locked annular position of the wringer arm, Figures 5 and 6, a relation of the parts which is desired when an emergency stop of the machine is made, since it leaves the wringer in a fixed annular position, permitting an unwinding of the clothes by pulling without having the wringer swing toward the operator.

The relative movements necessary for effecting all controls of the wringer mechanism may be traced as follows: Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the inner member 48 of the multi-button is at its highest elevation and the outer member 39 at its lowest point. This position of the inner member 59 was obtained by pressing down on the outer member 38. The wringer is being driven in a reverse direction and its angular position is locked. It may now be desired to swing the wringer to another angular position for the purpose of wringing the clothes into another tub. The emergency stop is first made, to insure the safety of a locked arm and a neutral clutch. This is followed by the operator definitely, manually, partially and gently pressing down with her fingers on the outer member 39 until the detent 3| snaps into the notch 23, or first neutral position, Figure 3.

To resume the forward drive, the operator now swings the wringer to the approximate position desired and then presses down upon the inner member 49 bringing the top edge of the slot 525 into contact with the upper surface of the disk l5, until the recess !5 has been reached, where the key will slip into the recess under the pressure being applied to the member 453 and the detent will slip into the notch enmeshing the clutch element 2i with the clutch elements on gear 4. This brings the inner member 46 into the position shown in Figure 7 When the operator wishes to bring the wringer mechanism to its reverse drive position, she presses down on the outer member 3:? more forcibly and the parts are restored to the original position shown in Figure 1; or she may wish to bring the parts in neutral position with the wringer arm locked, when she presses with open hand upon the outer member 35;, the parts will be brought to the position shown in Figure 5 and the inner member All automatically comes up to the plane of the hand and can come no further while the hand is in this position.

On the other hand, the operator may wish when the wringer is operating in a forward direction to bring the parts to a position in which the wringer can be swung to a new position. She first brings the mechanism to the neutral position with the wringer locked in the manner described in the previous sentence and then presses it still further upon the outer member until the detent 3i slips into the notch 28. This frees the wringer arm which can be swung to the approximate new position. Further pressure upon the outer member causes the lower shoulder of the key to press up against the under face of the disk l5 so that by manually swinging the wringer arm the said lower shoulder will slip upwards into the adjacent slot I6 of the disk l5, locking the arm in its new position, the detent .3! slipping into the notch 21 and putting the clutch in reverse drive as shown in Figure 2.

It will be understood that the width of the slot 56 is so related to the range of movement of the clutch that one or other of the shoulders of the slot it engages the disk, locking the same prior to the engagement of the clutch with either of the drive gears d or 6. This ensures that the swinging arm can never be unlocked while the clutch is in one of its driving positions.

Regardless of whether the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1 with the inner member uppermost or in the position shown in Figure '7 with the outer member uppermost, when an emergency arises the operator quickly pushes with her open hand upon whichever member is uppermost and brings them automatically into the same plane. She does not have to think and she can make no mistake for while the hand is in this open position, pressure on one member opposes an equal pressure on the other member and both remain immovable.

The description of the invention thus far has related to its adaptation to that form of wringer mechanism in which the vertical standard and the laterally swinging arm are formed as a unit. Figure 12 illustrates the invention in connection with wringer mechanism with which the lateral arm is formed with a head 49 which rotates upon the upper end 58 of the vertical standard 5|. The forward and reverse gear set represented by the gearing 4, 5 and 6 is in the head, the gear 5 being fixed to the lower roller shaft l8 and power being imparted to the vertical shaft 1 at the lower end in the customary manner which it has not been thought necessary to illustrate in the drawings. The clutch element 2i may be the same in this form of the invention as in that already described. In this case, the disk 55 is fixed while the control means 52 is mounted on the head 49 and therefore rotates with said head and relative to the disk I5.

The reciprocatory member 53 which corresponds functionally to the member 24- of the form of the invention first described, is necessarily slightly modified in structure since the yoke 5 projects from an intermediate part instead from the lower portion of the reciprocatory member. The notches 2T, 28, 29 and 313 which determine the position of the reciprocatory member are also at an intermediate point selectively engaged by the spring detent 3! mounted on the fixed part 55 of the head 49. The portions of the reciprocatory member which interlock with the recesses H6 in the disk l5 are at the lower end of the reciprocatory member, comprising the cheeks 5'5 and 51 at the upper and lower'ends of the slot 25. The slot performs a similar function in both forms of the invention, determining reverse gears, thereby avoiding undue wear or noise in the operations of these parts.

The control means in this form of the invention is identical, as illustrated, to that shown in the first described form of the invention and a detaileddescription of the same need not be repeated.

It is apparent that the invention is readily applicable to any type of wringer mechanism involving a swinging arm. Figure 13 shows the various positions which the arm may assume relative to the washing machine. The positions designated by the reference characters 58, 59, fill and 6! are determined according to the position of rinsing tubs arranged adjacent the washing machine. An important position is that indicated by the reference character 62 in which the wringer arm may be locked over the tub of the washing machine. This contracts the washing and wringing apparatus to a minimum space and permits it to be conveniently stowed away in a corner, for example. When the swinging arm is in this position the multi-button is preferably left in the emergency stop position with the upper faces of both the inner and outer members 40 and 39 flush. The wringer is then looked and cannot be pulled out of position by children.

While I have in the above disclosure illustrated one type of mechanical movement for efiecting the simultaneous and complementary rising and falling movements of the two parts of the multiple button, it is to be understood that the means herein illustrated and described is merely exemplary of a full range of equivalents to which the invention is entitled and that the specific details of construction as illustrated and described are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

i In wringer mechanism of the type having a swinging arm, means by which the arm may be locked in any one of several definite positions, a driving train for the wringer including clutch means so correlated with said locking means that in both forward and reverse driving positions said swinging arm is locked, means determining two neutral positions for said'clutch means so related to said locking means that said arm is locked in one neutral position and unlocked in the other, manipulable means for simultaneously operating said clutch and locking means, having positions corresponding to the several positions of said clutch, said manipulable means being actuable selectively to assume any one of its operative positions, by pressing it in the same direction, and including complementary members interconnected so that one rises while the other falls and arranged to mutually intersect a common plane at an intermediate point in their movement, the position of said members when their faces are in said common plane representing the neutral position of said clutch in which said swinging arm is locked. r

2. Control for the wringing mechanism of washing machines of that type having a swinging arm, means by which the arm may be locked in any one of several definite positions, and a driving train for the wringer including clutch means so correlated with said locking means that in both forward and reverse driving positions said swinging arm is locked, and said clutch having two neutral positions in one of which said arm is locked, and unlocked in the other, said control comprising a reciprocable member movable step by step, cperatively related to said clutch means and locking means for performing the several power shifting and locking functions as set forth, a detent cooperating with said member for determining the rest points in its step by step movement, and a manipulable control means comprissure selectively applied to one or the other of said members, in the same direction, the faces of said manipulable members intersecting a common plane at an intermediate point in their mutual movement, the position of said members when their faces are in said common plane representing the neutral position of said clutch means in which said swinging arm is locked, said members being brought to this position by pressure of the open hand indiscriminately upon whichever member is uppermost, until the hand contacts both members.

3. Control for the wringing mechanism of washing machines of that type having a swinging arm, means by which the arm may be locked in any one of several definite positions, and a driving train for the wringer including clutch means so correlated with said locking means that in both forward and reverse driving positions said swinging arm is locked, and said clutch having two neutral positions in one of which said arm is locked and unlocked in the other, said control comprising a reciprocable member movable step by step, operatively related to said clutch means and looking means for performing the several power shifting and locking functions as set forth, a detent cooperating with said member for determining the rest points in its step by step movement, and a manipulable control means comprising inner and outer members, a lever intermediately fulcrumed, connected at one side of its fulcrum to said reciprocable member and at its respective ends to said inner and outer members so that one rises when the other falls, said manipulable members being actuable to move said reciprocable member to any one of its step by step positions by pressure selectively applied to one or the other of said members in the same direction, the faces of said manipulable members intersecting a common plane at an intermediate point in their mutual movement, the positions of said members when their faces are in said common plane representing the neutral position of said clutch means in which said swinging arm is locked, said members being brought to this position by pressure of the open hand indiscriminately placed upon whichever member is uppermost, until the hand contacts both members.

4. Control for the wringing mechanism of washing machines as claimed in claim 1, including a fixed element against which the members of said manipulable control abut when in their lowermost positions, said fixed element forming a positive stop for said members and thereby determining the limits of longitudinal shift of said clutch means.

5. Control for the wringing mechanism of washing machines of that type having a swinging arm, means by which the arm may be locked in any one of several definite positions, and a driving train for the wringer including clutch means so correlated with said locking means that in both forward and reverse driving positions said swinging arm is locked, and said clutch having two neutral positions in one of which said arm is locked and unlocked in the other, said control comprising a reciprocable member movable step by step, operatively related to said clutch means and locking means for performing the several power shifting and locking functions as set forth, and a manipulable control means comprising inner and outer members, a lever intermediately fulcrumed connected at one side of its fulcrum to said reciprocable member and at its respective ends to said inner and outer members so that one rises when the other falls, said manipulable members being actuable to move said reciprocable member to any one of its step by step positions by pressure selectively applied to one or the other of said members in the same direction, the faces of said manipulable members intersecting a common plane at an intermediate point in their mutual movement, the positions of said members when their faces are in said common plane representing the neutral position of said clutch means in which said swinging arm is locked, said members being brought to this position by pressure of the open hand indiscriminately placed upon whichever member is uppermost until the hand contacts both members.

6. Control for the wringing mechanism of washing machines of that type having a swinging arm, means by which the arm may be locked in any one of several definite positions, and a driving train for the wringer including clutch means so correlated with said locking means that in both forward and reverse driving positions said swinging arm is locked, and said clutch having two neutral positions in one of which said arm is locked and unlocked in the other, said control comprising a reciprocable member movable step by step, operatively related to said clutch means and locking means for performing the several power shifting and locking functions as set forth, a manipulable control means comprising inner and outer members, one of said members being connected to said reciprocable member, levers intermediately fulcrumed on opposite sides of said reciprocable members each lever being connected at one end to said reciprocable members and at the other end to one of the members of said manipulable control, so that one of said manipulable control members rises when the other falls, said last named members being actuable to move said reciprocable member toany one of its step by step positions by pressure selectively applied to one or the other of said manipulable control members in the same direction, the faces of said manipulable control members intersecting a common plane at an intermediate point in their mutual movement, the positions of said members when their faces are in said common plane representing the neutral position of said clutch means in which said swinging arm is locked, said members being brought to this position by pressure of the open hand indiscriminately placed upon whichever member is uppermost until the hand contacts both members.

7. Control for wringer mechanism of the type having a swinging arm and a driving train including a clutch for operating said wringer, said clutch having forward, reverse and neutral relations to said gear train, locking means for said arm including a disk having locking notches suitably angularly displaced, and a reciprocab'le key engageable selectively with any one of said notches in certain positions of said key and provided with a recess enabling said key to avoid said notches in another position of said key, one of said locking means being rotatably mounted with respect to the other, means carried by said key for operating said clutch, said key having notches representing the positions of forward and reverse drive and two definite neutral positions of the clutch, a detent engageable with said notches,

the recess in said key being so placed with re spect to the positions of said key determined by said detent and notches that said swinging arm is locked by said key when said clutch is in forward or reverse driving position or in one neutral position and unlocked in the other neutral posiion, and a manipulable control means for said key comprising inner and outer members, a lever intermediately fulcrumed, connected at one side of its fulcrum to said reciprocable member and at its respective ends to said inner and outer members so that one rises when the other falls, said manipulable members being actuable to move said reciprocable member to any one of its step by step positions by pressure selectively applied to one or the other of said members in the same direction, the faces of said manipulable members intersecting a common plane at an intermediate point in their mutual movement, the positions of said members when their faces are in said common plane representing the neutral position of said clutch means in which said swinging arm is locked, said members being brought to this posi tion by pressure of the open hand'indiscriminately placed upon whichever member is uppermost, until the hand contacts both members.

8. In wringer mechanism, a swinging arm, a locking disk, and a key co-operating with. said locking disk, one of said cooperating elements being rotatable with said arm, said disk having a' plurality of notches determining angular locked positions of said arm, said key being adapted selectively to traverse said notches in looking relation to said arm, and having a slot forming a path for said disk defining a release position for said arm, said slot defining locking shoulders, means for reciprocating said key for bringing said upper or lower shoulder selectively into contact with the upper or lower faces of said disk when said arm is away from any of its definite locking positions, and permitting said shoulders selectively to enter a desired notch in looking relation to said disk when said arm has been moved to the desired locking position with the corresponding notch in alinement with said key, and means for transmitting manual pressure at will to saidkey, the latter being free from automatic bias toward locking position, whereby it will not slip automatically into undesired notches while said arm being manually swung.

9. In wringing mechanism, a swinging arm, a,

sired notch in looking relation to said disk when 5 said arm has been manually swung to the de-; sired locking position with the corresponding notch in alinement with said key, a driving train for said wringing mechansm including a clutch element having forward and reverse driving po-10:7

sitions and two neutral positions, means posi.-- tively connecting said locking means and said; clutch element, and operating means simultaneously locking said arm when said clutch is moved 1 to one neutral position, and simultaneously un- 15' 7 locking said arm when said clutch is moved to: the other neutral position, said clutch means being so correlated to said key that said arm is in a locked position prior to and whenever saidj clutch is in forward or reverse driving positions. 20:

10. In wringer mechanism of the type havinga swinging arm, means by which the arm may be locked in any one of several definite positions, a driving train for the wringer including clutch1 means so correlated that in both forward and253 reverse driving positions said swinging arm locked, means determining two neutral positionsfor said clutch means so related to said'locking means that said arm is locked in oneneutrali position and unlocked in the other, and manip- 303 ulable means for operating said clutch and look,-

ing means having positions corresponding .to the several positions of said clutch, said manipu lable means comprising inner and outer concentric members actuable selectively to produce any 35 of the operative functions of said wringer mech-; anism by pressing one or the other of said con-; centric members in the same direction.

11. In wringer mechanism of the type having;

a swinging arm, means for locking said arm 1n any one of several angular positions, means in-: cluding a clutch element for operating said; wringer in forward and reverse directions, said: element having two neutral positions, means synchronizing the movement of said clutch element: 45

and said locking means so that inone neutral position of the clutch element the arm is free? and in another locked, and actuating means for" effecting the operation of said clutch element;

movable rectilinearly vertically whereby it has" no right or left positions relative to the person? operating the same. 5

12. In wringer mechanism of the type having a swinging arm, means for locking said arm in any one of several angular positions, meansinclud 55 1 ing a, clutch element 'for operating said wringerv in forward and reverse directions; said element having two neutral positions, means. synchroniz ing the movement of said clutch element and locking means so that in one neutral position of 0 the clutch element the arm is free and in another locked, and actuating means for effecting the operation of said clutch element comprising complementary hand engageable members moving in opposite directions'in adjacent vertical 5:

rectilinear paths, one member acting as a stop to the hand which engages the other member, at the moment of their intersection of a common plane, the position of said means at said moment de' termining the neutral clutch position in which' 703 said arm is locked.

13. Wringer arm and gear shift control means comprising in combination with forward and rea verse clutch elements for a'wringer and a lock ing plate for a swinging wringer arm, a rigid operating member mounted for rectilinear reciprocation, a clutch engaging element and key carried by said operating member and movable together therewith, said clutch engaging element being selectively engageable with said forward and reverse clutch elements, said key having a slot with opposite walls forming shoulders, said locking plate having recesses adapted to be brought selectively by the swinging of said wringer arm, into the path of reciprocation of said operating member for engaging one or the other of said shoulders with the sides of the recess with which said key at the time cooperates, simultaneously with the engagement of said clutch engaging element with the respective one of said forward and reverse elements, said clutch engaging element having two neutral positions between said forward and reverse positions one of which corresponds to a position of said key in which said locking plate clears said key by being in the plane of said slot, and the other of which corresponds to a locking position of said key with respect to said locking plate.

14. Wringer arm and gear shift control means comprising in combination with forward and reverse clutch elements for a wringer and a locking plate for a swinging wringer arm, a rigid operating member mounted for rectilinear reciprocation, a clutch engaging element and key carried by said operating member and movable together therewith, said clutch engaging element being selectively engageable with said forward and reverse clutch elements, said key having a slot with opposite walls forming shoulders, said locking plate having recesses adapted to be brought selectively by the swinging of said wringer arm, into the path of reciprocation of said operating member for engaging one or the other of said shoulders with the sides of the recess with which said key at the time cooperates, simultaneously with the engagement of said clutch engaging element with the respective one of said forward and reverse elements, said clutch engaging element having two neutral positions between said forward and reverse positions one of which corresponds to a position of said key in which said locking plate clears said key by being n the plane of said slot, and the other of which corresponds to a locking position of said key with respect to said locking plate, said operating member having detent determined positions corresponding to the four clutch function positions and the correlated key function positions.

15. Wringer arm and gear shift control means comprising in combination with forward and reverse clutch elements for a wringer and a lock ing plate for a swinging wringer arm, a rigid operating member mounted for rectilinear reciprocation, a clutch engaging element and key carried by said operating member and movable together therewith, said clutch engaging element being selectively engageable with said forward and reverse clutch elements, said key having a slot with opposite walls forming shoulders adapted to ride against one or the other faces of said locking plate solely under bias of manually applied operating pressure, said locking plate having recesses adapted to be brought selectively by the swinging of said wringer arm, into the path of reciprocation of said operating member for engaging one or the other of said shoulders with the sides of the recess with which said key at the time cooperates, simultaneously with the engagement of said clutch engaging element with the respective one of said forward and reverse elements, said clutch engaging element having two neutral positions between said forward and reverse positions, one of which corresponds to a position of said key in which said locking member clears said key by being in the plane of said slot, and the other of which corresponds to a locking position of said key with respect to said locking plate.

DAVID M. WENGER. 

